Unit 1 Conflict and Challenge – The World of 1919 Test Review

Written Response

Question: To what extent did the Treaty of Versailles satisfy each of the Big Three leaders?

Objectives Satisfied Not Satisfied

Wilson League of Nations

established

self-determination in Eastern Europe (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia)

disarmament (military restrictions)

most of the Fourteen Points were ignored or rejected

only the defeated powers were disarmed

Britain refused to accept freedom of seas

Britain, France, Belgium refused to allow self-determination to their colonies

Anschluss was denied

Senate refused to accept the treaty or join the League of Nations

Fourteen Points

did not want to cripple Germany

Clemenceau Article 231

disarmament (military restrictions)

Alsace-Lorraine returned

received German colonies

received Saar coalfields for only 15 years

Rhineland only demilitarized not an independent country

reparations not high enough

national security

reparations

Lloyd George reduction of the

German navy

received German colonies

did not support League of Nations

opposed self-determination

reparations too high

security of sea lanes to its empire

did not want to cripple Germany

Question: Explain the reasons for the failure of the League of Nations.

Reason Explanation

incomplete membership

U.S. absence weakened effectiveness of economic sanctions against aggressors since the aggressor nation can obtain supplies from the U.S (ex. Italian invasion of Ethiopia)

U.S. absence left Britain and France as the only major powers in the League but they preferred direct negotiations between states and refused to place their affairs in the hand of an impotent organization

Germany and USSR were not original members of the League impairing its ability

lack of power and enforcement

the League had no adequate means to enforce its will on offenders as it did not have an army

although it had the power to impose economic sanctions if often lacked the will to do so

structure of the League

the decisions of the Assembly had to be unanimous which was difficult to achieve and paralyzed the League

the members of the Council were able to veto League action thus preventing it from doing anything

Depression the Depression made countries try to get more land and power

countries did not want to impose sanctions and further reduce trade during the economic crisis

nationalism large countries were unwilling to be told what to do by larger countries and Japan, Italy and Germany still viewed war as means of national advancement

attitude of members towards League

the major powers did not take the League seriously and undermined its effectiveness; Italy and Japan betrayed the League and Britain and France did not do enough to make it work

2

Question: Explain the factors that contributed to the November 1917 Revolution in Russia.

Factor Explanation

Provisional Government problems

the war, land reform, divisions with the government and challenge to its authority from the Petrograd Soviet created problems for the Provisional Government and weakened it

economic conditions

economic conditions had not improved (inflation and food shortages) since the March Revolution and were even worse

Petrograd Soviet the Petrograd Soviet passed Order Number 1 which stated soldiers should not take orders from officers but rather regiment committees

Lenin demanded “All Power to the Soviets” the Bolsheviks won control of the Petrograd Soviet

after the Kornilov Affair

Red Guards a private Bolshevik army dedicated to the revolution was established and gave the Bolsheviks the military power to overthrow the Provisional Government

Lenin Lenin was an effective leader, determined; he was ruthless, brilliant speaker and good planner

April Thesis “Peace, Bread, and Land” appealed to many people who were impatient for change

Kornilov Affair the Bolshevik Red Guards (Petrograd Soviet) demonstrated their power when they prevented Kornilov’s attempted coup

the army lost credibility the right wing factions felt Kornilov was betrayed

while the left wing faction felt the government plotted to destroy them and the subsequent split in the Duma was the turning point in the left-right wing dispute

3

4